Damaged Goods
by Chrosis
Summary: Laura Kinney, AKA X-23, is thrust into a whole new multiverse by a vicious foe. She must find her way out of Gotham's underbelly if she ever wants to find a way home. But who can she trust? How will Batman and the rest of the Bat Family react to this new killer in Gotham? And what else is lurking behind the scenes?
1. The Arrival

Author Note: This is my first work of fanfiction, I hope you enjoy it. This story takes place in current Marvel and DC Universes, with the slight tweak that I've added Cassandra Cain back to the Bat Family. I like her too much to omit her.

Updated for a better flow. I felt like I was putting my worst foot forward here.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Earth-616 – Manhattan

Laura Kinney -AKA X-23, Codename: Talon- ducked low and dove behind a destroyed defense robot as another arc of pure energy lanced through the air where she was standing, followed by shrill, warbled laughter. She grimaced, hating the fact that she was so outclassed, hating the fact that she was being toyed with by this creature, but she couldn't stop. She couldn't fail the children. Snarling, she leaped out of cover, ready to face her tormenter-

Annihilus, the Living Death that Walks, Lord of the Negative Zone.

He was an interdimensional bipedal insectoid creature and narcissistic tyrant, standing head and shoulders over any normal human. Annihilus was covered in green chitinous armor with large, armored yet webbed wings. The tyrant came to this dimension seeking bloody vengeance on Johnny Storm and Richard Ryder. He would crush them, their families, those they would call allies, and everything they held dear. For this sole purpose he tore open the walls of the Negative Zone. He brought his army, his fury, and most importantly- a Cosmic Cube. A super powerful reality warping device no larger than a rubric's cube.

Laura had been in the Baxter building working as a baby sitter for Susan and Reed Richards when the chaos broke out. Luckily for her and the children, Valeria and Franklin, the Baxter building was a fortress. Unluckily for them, the Human Torch was at the top of Annihilus' list and he knew exactly where he lived.

"I_'m beginning to lose my patience… Where is the Human Torch!?_", Annihilus hissed, lifting the Cube higher.

When he did, Laura's world exploded into pain and blinding light. It felt like hours, suspended in the whiteness before reality came crashing back down around her. She fell to her hands and knees, disoriented, barely able to make out the words coming from the creature in front of her.

"_-where he is, or face oblivion!_"

Laura ignored his words rose to her feet. As long as he was tormenting her, he wasn't with the-

"**No!**"

Both Laura's and Annihilus' head whipped around, one in horror, the other in surprise. Valeria and Franklin Richards stood in the doorway, grim determination on their faces, "Leave her alone!"

Annihilus immediately recognized both of them. He remembered the indignities he had suffered in their presence. He raised the Cube in rage, "The spawn of Richards? BEGONE!"

* * *

Laura had many different teachers since her escape from The Facility. She found that the one she learned the most from was Logan, her genetic twin- the man who called himself her big brother.

She remembered that night in the snow, when they had rescued Rahne Sinclair from the Purifiers. She said that Rahne should have known better- that she wasn't worth rescuing.

Logan turned on her in fury, 'Rahne Sinclair has two things we'll never get back… hope and innocence. She's who we save – she's why we risk our lives! She's who we _die_ for!'

Warpath had pulled him away, but he kept shouting, 'Sinclair is more important than _you_ or _me_. Our lives are worth NOTHING compared to hers! _You hear me X!?_'

* * *

Laura never really understood what Logan was talking about. Perhaps now she finally understood. No harm would come to Richard and Valeria while Laura watched over them. Of that, she was certain.

She acted the moment Annihilus began speaking. In a streak of adamantium and black, she stood between him and the children, blades extended and ready to take anything he could throw at her- anything he would dare throw at the children.

In a flash of blinding light, she was gone without a trace that she was ever there to being with.

Orbiting Earth-0 in a Different Multiverse

J'onn-J'onzz enjoyed his time in the Monitor Womb. His psychic abilities let him connect with the Martian technologies in the room, making him a living nexus of information and the first response to crisis points. He was the first person to learn of the trans-dimensional warp in Gotham City.

He'd never seen readings like the one the machine was giving him. It was as if a whole had been punched through the multiverse itself, if only for a moment before disappearing entirely.

Ignoring the flashing red lights in the room, he activated his comm. There was only one person in Gotham close enough to handle the situation, "Batman, this is the Watchtower. We just received odd energy readings coming from Gotham City that need to be investigated. I'm sending you the coordinates now."

Gotham City – Harbor

Batman put his hand to his ear, "Have the information sent to Oracle. I'm busy."

"_Very well. I'll mobilize a response team-_", Jonn's voice crackled over the line, before Batman cut him off, "That won't be necessary."

He ended the call, activating the comm. device in his other ear, "Oracle. Incoming information from the Watchtower."

"_From the Watchtower? I mean, uh, on it_.", Barbara's voice chimed in over the line.

He ended the call, turning his attention back to the beaten and bloodied muscle bound metahuman laying on the ground in the center of the seaside warehouse they occupied. There were fifteen other men in the room, all affiliated with organized crime. They were all unconscious, many with broken bones. Groaning from the pain of the effort, the metahuman tried rising to his feet.

Batman began to circle the downed metahuman, "I know the man you work for supplied Crane with the chemicals he needed for his attack on the city last month. Three months before that I busted what I learned was a shipment meant for the White Rabbit. A week ago I learned about this shipment coming in."

Batman took a hop-step forward, viciously stomping down on the rising metahuman, sending him crashing back down to the ground with a dislocated shoulder, "Imagine what I'll learn tonight."

Terror in his eyes, the man tried to crawl away from the dark knight looming over him.

The Watchtower

Jonn relented with a sigh. There was no arguing with Bruce. He didn't tolerate other capes in his city and for the life of him Jonn could not understand why. He turned his attention back to the security console, sending the relevant information to the Caped Crusader's information specialist. The current course of action would avoid a public panic, and there had been no strange reports or police calls regarding the incident yet—still, he couldn't shake the feeling that an incredible chain of events had just began.

Oracle's Clocktower

Barbara Gordon wasn't surprised when Bruce had called her so suddenly. It was normal for him, after all. What surprised her was that he called her so abruptly about Justice League business.

Barbara mentally sighed as she readied her computer for the data transfer, 'Normally he gives me more of a heads up, or he at least tells me what's was going on…'

Her eyes widened when her computer came to life and the data started coming in.

She scrambled to see who in the family was in town. Dick was off dealing with a jewel heist with Damien in tow, so that left him busy. Cassandra was available, but she wouldn't have any idea of what to do…

All that was left was Tim. Whatever this was, hopefully he could handle it. Who knows? Maybe it was nothing.

She sighed, "Who the Hell am I kidding? It's never nothing."

Barbara fingered her comm., "Hey, Tim. I got a job for you."

* * *

Despite his efforts, Annihilus had not destroyed Laura.

In his hubris, he had spared her life.

Annihilus was a creature that understood one concept above all else: Power. He had wielded the power of Galactus, commanded the power of the Cosmic Control Rod, and wore the Quantum Bands into battle, laying waste to everyone who would dare stand against his armies. Now he had a Cosmic Cube- a device of infinite complexities infused with the power and the secrets of the universe.

Despite all of its intricacies, the Cosmic Cube was nothing more than an instrument of brute force in the hands of Annihilus. With all of his power, Annihilus had commanded that the Cosmic Cube make whatever was in front of him be gone.

And Laura was gone.

The full force of the Cube was used for the single purpose of placing her as far away as possible. It shoved her through space and time until she arrived so far away that even the Cube couldn't retrieve her- a different multiverse entirely.

* * *

Laura gasped as air filled her greedy lungs. She scrambled to her feet, head whipping back and forth as she tried to orient herself. She was in an alley somewhere, nighttime, definitely in the inner city. The ground was littered with trash, making the space between the two deteriorating buildings feel all the dirtier and smaller. She could smell the rats scurrying away from her- the rotting food in the dumpster. There was nothing new here- she'd seen it all before. The place itself was new to her though, and there wasn't a smell she distinctly recognized.

She shook her head, trying to clear the muddled thoughts that flowed through her head. She was doing something... she had talked with Sue Richards about-

Her head snapped up. She had forgotten about the children- She had to find the children!

With the finesse of an assassin trained from birth, she flew up the side of a nearby fire escape, desperate to find a view of the city. She had few things close to her in this world, and the Richards children were one of them.

When she reached the top of the fire escape she flipped up over the side, landing gracefully on the roof of the building. She spun, searching the city skyline for a familiar sight or a building she had seen once before. A thousand lights danced before her eyes. Enormous Gothic buildings and grand skyscrapers pierced the skies, surrounded by a seemingly endless wave of smaller buildings.

There was nothing she recognized.

Laura felt weak in her knees, the despair threatening to overwhelm her. She had failed her mission. She had failed the Richards and failed Logan. There was no doubt in her mind that the children were dead. The girl fell to her knees and extended a single blade.

Slowly, she began carving x's into her wrist. She didn't understand the feeling that welled up inside her, the crushing wave of guilt and sadness. She hated not being able to understand. Pain was the easiest way to release her frustrations. Laura took her time with each scrape, watching the crimson liquid slide from her self inflicted wounds. Blood soon stained the rooftop at her feet.

A scream in the dark ripped her from her self-inflicted torment.

She peered over the edge of the roof top down into the dark labyrinth of alleyways behind it. She could make out a pair of people in the dark- one male, approximately six feet tall, two hundred pound, armed with a 9mm pistol. He was undisciplined with it, but held to a woman's head. She was crying on her knees, begging for her life. His intentions were obvious.

It looked like some things were universal.

X-23's wounds had already closed. She made her move.

* * *

Marie Sullivan cried desperately, begging to her assailant as she knelt on the ground in the filthy alley, "P-please… I have children… You- you don't need to kill me, I gave you all the money I have on me!"

The bastard smiled, "Sorry, babe. Just your unlucky day."

Just as his hand squeezed down on the trigger, he was struck from behind by a black blur, sending the shot while. The woman screamed, curling into a ball. The would-be murderer regained his balance spun around, gun ready, only to have it slapped away from his hands.

X-23 stood in front of him, hunched over with claws unsheathed, "Never again."

She pulled back for the killing blow, only to have a cable swing around her arm, preventing her from landing the killing blow. She spun, ready to face the new attacker.

Her eyes followed the cable up to the fire escape where a boy in red stood, cocksure and proud, "Those are some crazy accessories you have there. Do your parents know you have those?"

* * *

Tim Drake, also known as Robin, grinned when the girl glared up at him, "Hey, I know he's scum, but we don't kill here."

_'New girl in town with claws in her hands, right where Babs tells me to investigate for those strange energy readings the Watchtower picked up? Yeaaah, that's not a coincidence.'_

He saw her shift her feet and his smile fell a bit. She was going to try to cut the cable. He reached down to his belt, birdarang ready for when she failed.

"Hey, let's just talk about this…", Tim started.

"**_Fuck this!_**"

Three things happened at once.

The mugger made a leap for his gun, Tim moved to release his birdarang, and the knife-hand girl twisted, her blades slicing cleanly through the cable like it was twine. Thrown off balance, Tim could only watch as the girl moved like lightning, closing the gap between herself and the mugger before he even had his gun leveled. Just as fast as she had closed the distance, she had severed the man's arm at the wrist. Blood arced through the air in a violent splash, staining the brick wall of the alley and the horrified Marie.

A split second was all she had needed.

As she fled, she turned and glanced at Tim and the blood-soaked woman curled up on the ground.

Tim's face twisted in horror, "NO!"

He dove down to see to the maimed man, throwing a tracer at the fleeing girl. She turned, and with inhuman grace, sliced the tracker neatly in two, not even losing half a step as she darted away.

Cursing himself, Tim knelt down to put a tourniquet on the crying mugger's stump.

* * *

Wide eyed, Laura raced out of the alley with inhuman speed. Facility training had taken over- she was in an unknown city, full of landmarks she didn't recognize, where the primary language was definitely English. Evading capture was her top priority until she figured out what had happened to her.

She paused for a moment to grab a discarded newspaper, "…Gotham City?"

Laura Kinney suddenly felt very far from home.


	2. Making Friends in Low Places

AN: I'll be trying a slightly different style this time around. If I feel good about it, I'll use it for the rest of the story. Any feedback you could give would be greatly appreciated! Also, applications for beta reader are open. By applications, I mean just ask and I'll send you a copy.

Earth-616, Manhattan

Valeria and Franklin stared in horror at the spot where Laura had stood. There was nothing left, not a spot of blood or a scrap of clothing- she was gone.

Valeria was the first to speak, her mind racing a thousand mile a minute looking for answers, "M-maybe if we got Dad's electron manipulator, we could calibrate it for Laura's atoms by… I mean, if she was disintegrated then we'd have to find the atoms that were most recently bonded together by their cascade variance and I think we could calibrate the paraxon accelerator to-"

Annihilus grinned sickeningly, cutting her off, "_A foolish gesture, merely postponing the inevitable. Fear not, you shall join her in oblivion, now. All fall before Annihilus!_"

"SHUT UP!"

Franklin stepped forward, his eyes glowing bright blue, "I'm sick and tired of you! All you've ever done is hurt my family! Never again!"

"_SILENCE!"_, Annhilus crowed, _"And DIEAUUUAGH!"_

The Lord of the Negative Zone fell to his knees, clutching the bloody stump that once held his Cosmic Cube. He looked around wildly for it, doing his best to stem the flow of purple ichor from his wrist with his other hand, "_W-where… how?!"_

His eyes fell on Franklin and widened in horror, "_Y-you…!"_

Franklin glared at him, holding the Cosmic Cube, "Looking for this?"

Annihilus watched Franklin pull his disembodied hand off the Cube, a mortal chill crawling up his exoskeleton, "_Y-you do not know what you're doing…! S-stop! Annihilus is the will! Annihilus is the way!"_

Franklin raised the Cube, "No."

The Lord of the Negative Zone staggered to his feet, "_N-no! Do not-"_

There was a surge of power from the Cube, and Franklin scattered Annihilus' atoms across space and time, as far as the Cube's power could send them. Franklin stood there for a moment, contemplating his actions.

Valeria timidly put a hand on his shoulder, "Can… can you use the Cube to bring Laura back?"

Franklin closed his eyes for a moment before turning back to Valeria, "No. She's not dead, just… gone. If she was dead I could bring her back, but… I can't even find her. She's not in the multiverse anymore. We could use the Cube to make another one but… it wouldn't be her."

Valeria nodded in determination, ignoring the tears trailing down her cheeks, "Then lets fix everything we can."

Franklin nodded and the blue cosmic energy faded from his eyes, "We have the Cube now. We'll undo all of this. All that we can, at least."

Valeria glanced over, "Dad's gonna be mad at you for using your powers…"

Her brother ignored the comment, readying the cube, "Let's do this."

* * *

Earth-0, Gotham City

Laura continued to make her way through the underbelly of the city, taking care to avoid leaving a trail. Facility training dictated she make separation as quickly as possible before attempting to blend in. She made another turn, dashing out onto a main street before finally slowing down to a walk.

It was two lanes wide and poorly lit, despite the street lamps that lined it. The businesses were all gated up for the night, and graffiti was on almost every surface. There were broken beer bottles in the gutter and she could hear a mix of gunfire and sirens in the distance.

'_Two kilometers. Acceptable safe-distance achieved.'_

Laura tilted her head towards the ground as she walked, taking care to be as inconspicuous as possible. She kept her eyes up, though. Facility mandated information gathering as her top priority in this scenario. As she walked, she made sure to take note of every street sign, every advertisement, and every written word.

It was obvious that she was no longer on Earth. Or at least, _her_, Earth.

It was the only reasonable conclusion. The creature would not have bothered with a psychic attack, not when it had power at its disposal like the Cube.

She stopped walking and clenched her fists, fighting the urge to unsheathe her claws and turn them on herself again.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here."

She stopped and looked to her right, down the alley she had unwittingly paused in front of. Five men stepped from the shadows, predatory grins on their faces. They didn't seem gang affiliated, merely common thugs. She could smell a sixth further into the darkness of the alley. It was obvious they were scum, the way they dressed, the way they leered at her- they were like animals. She labeled them in her head- Blue Shirt, Black Shirt, Tall One, Gold Chains, and White Shirt.

The tall one in the middle stepped forward, "You lost, little girl? Maybe you've already had a rough night, just look at ya!"

Laura paused, considering her next move. She was still wearing the clothes she had worn when defended the children from Annihilus- a nearly destroyed leather jacket, ripped and torn jeans, and a v-cut shirt that was surprisingly unscathed. She'd need to acquire new clothes if she wanted to blend in. She'd need food, too. Money was the easiest way to get them.

She looked up, giving the man a deadpan stare, "I need money."

The thug's mouth split into a wider grin, "Yeah, I can think of a thing or two I'd pay a girl like you to do. Why don't you hang out with us?"

Her mouth tightened into a thin line. She'd worked under a pimp once before to survive after she'd escaped from the Facility. She'd die before she did it again.

"No."

The other thugs began chuckling while Tall One reached for her, "Damn, girl, you trippin' or something? C'mon, you can sleep it off at my place."

When Tall One grabbed her arm she reacted like she was trained to.

She spun and wrapped her arm around his, using the momentum of the turn to pull him into an arm-lock. From there, all it took was a step forward to slam him face first into the brick wall of the adjacent building. He roared and struggled, thrashing against her grip. She threw him down on the concrete, stepping back as the others leaped over their fallen comrade towards her.

Blue Shirt stepped up first, throwing a wild right hook. Laura ducked under it, striking him in the solar plexus, winding him. She grabbed onto his arm and spun, sending him sprawling into his allies. Gold Chains dodged his tumbling comrade, diving at Laura. She jumped, stomping down with both feet when he was below her. The blow sent him straight into the ground and left Laura crouched on top of his prone form, ready for the others. She let her claws extend, slowly. After what they had tried to do, she wanted them to know what they were dealing with.

"AW HELL NO! FUCK THIS SHIT!"

Black Shirt reached into his pants under his shirt in panic, reaching for his gun. Laura tensed, about to pounce, before a voice from deeper into the alley rang out, "_STOP!_"

A sixth man bounded forward and shoved Black Shirt back against the wall, keeping him from drawing his weapon, "Stow that shit!"

He paused stepping forward and gesturing to the downed Blue Shirt, "Get his ass up."

Begrudgingly, Black Shirt and Tall One helped their comrade up. New One turned to her, "Everyone take it easy... Don' think nobody wanna die tonight…"

Laura said nothing, meeting New One with a blank stare, ready to act at a moments notice. He was tall, but not as tall as Tall One. He was dark skinned with a shaved head with a single diamond stud in one ear. He wore similar clothes to the other, a shirt one size too big with baggy pants, but he carried himself with more authority. He was obviously the leader.

Staring warily at her claws, New One inched forward, raising his arms in a non-threatening manner, "Hey… You need money, right? Well I saw you move, and with those claws… I think we can help each other out. I know a guy looking for somebody with the right skills, you know what I'm sayin'? He went underground and is lookin' for protection. Not just thugs, I mean the best money can buy. Nobody knows why, but I don't really care. I'm thinkin' you have what it takes."

Tall One turned and stared at him incredulously, "You talkin' about taking her to the Penguin?"

Laura paused for a moment before stepping off Gold Chains, content to watch this conversation develop. Tall One appeared displeased with the idea, but New One wasn't backing down.

He turned, arms spread, "This be our _ticket_, man! We bring her in, we can get in good with the Penguin! We'll be one step closer to the big leagues!"

Black Shirt glared, "Man, I don't wanna be in the big leagues. You wouldn't catch me dead rollin' with those freaks. That's how the Bat finds you."

New One whipped around, his anger palpable, "Don't be no pussy, man. The Bat can't be everywhere. We're goin', cuz I say we're _goin'_. You got a problem with that?"

Black Shirt's frustration was evident, but he was quick to back down, "Naw, man. I ain't 'fraid of nobody."

Satisfied, New One turned back to Laura, expectant, "So… you game?"

There was a beat.

Laura frowned, "…who is the Penguin?"

New One paused, his face splitting into an unsure grin, "Girl, you serious?"

Laura stared.

He erupted with laughter, "HAHA! Girl, Penguin is the guy to know in this city. Whatever's going on, he knows about it. Shit, you new in town?"

Laura stared for a moment. If this 'Penguin' was as well connected as New One claimed, then he would be an invaluable source of information- as well as money. Still, New One's scent was one the same as the rest of this place- gunpowder, drugs, and desperation. He was not a man to be trusted. Still, desperate times called for desperate measures, and right now Laura had nothing to her name but adamantium claws, a healing factor, and the shredded clothes on her back.

She clenched her fists, ignoring the feeling in her gut to kill him and leave. He was scum and she knew he wouldn't be missed. She had to live with that, though. She had to trust him… for now.

Decision made, she redirected her attention back to New One, "I will go."

New One's grin widened imperceptibly, "Glad you see things my way."

Laura turned her head, looking back at the exit of the alley, "So where will we meet this… Penguin?"

New One grinned like a serpent, walking up behind her and placing a hand on the small of her back, "To the place that all the most powerful men and women in Gotham used to go- The Iceberg Casino!"

She turned her head to stare him in the eye, "Do not touch me."

He backed off, arms raised, "Sure baby, sure. Whatever you say."

New One took a step back into the alley, where his associates had regrouped, "Right this way."

Laura turned and followed, unable to shake the feeling that Logan and the other X-Men would tell her she shouldn't be doing this.

* * *

Tim sighed in frustration as he surveyed the nighttime cityscape from his perch on one of the many apartment buildings around the city, searching for any sign of Laura in the alleys below, "Times like these, I wish _I_ had a Robin to follow me around..."

He fingered his comm., "Hey Oracle, I think I found what we were looking for."

There was a moment of silence before Barbara responded, "_Alright, hit me._"

Tim leaped from his perch, crossing the gap to the roof of the adjacent apartment building, "I think the source of the signal is a girl- 5'4" to 5'7", long black hair, fair skin. She had an athlete's build- probably one thirty five to one fifty pounds. Her clothes were pretty torn up, too. Looked like she had been in a serious brawl before she got here. Oh yeah, and metal claws sticking out of her knuckles that cut through my cable like it was twine."

Barbara's disbelief was obvious, "_Metal claws? You're sure she wasn't just holding them?_"

Tim paused for a moment as he jumped the gap between two more buildings, "Doubtful. They were retractable. I'm guessing cyborg, android, or metahuman. She was fast- _very_ fast. Made quick work of a mugger. Took his hand right off. He'll live."

"_And you're sure she was the anomaly? Maybe she was investigating it for somebody else._"

"I doubt it. Why would she stop to take out that mugger? And if she _was_ investigating it, she took whatever it was with her. There was nothing else there. Either way, I'm still in pursuit. Trail looks cold, though."

It was obvious from her town that Barbara's dissatisfaction with the situation matched Tim's, "_Alight, pack it in for now. Finish your patrol, then head back to the cave. I'll let Bruce know and I'll see what he thinks. Who knows, maybe we'll find her quick and easy._ _Oracle out._"

Tim readied his grapple and huffed, looking out over the sprawling city, "Yeah… quick and easy."

* * *

Laura smelled Gotham Bay before she saw it. Its stench was distinct and not _entirely_ unpleasant, like most of the city, but the others in the group didn't seem to notice. They were either ignorant to it or simply didn't care- most likely a combination of the two. New One, who referred to himself as Colt, raised his hand, stopping the group. He stepped forward and turned to Laura, gesturing across the Bay with his arm to a structure further down the bay that looked as though it were built into an iceberg, connected to the mainland via a long pier.

"And _that,_" he started, "That is the Iceberg Casino."

Laura stared at the odd structure, "Will we be going there?"

"Hell naw," Colt grinned, "That shit closed down 'bout two weeks ago. Don't mean Penguin doesn't keep contacts nearby. Friend o' mine told me about this place."

Colt started walking again, "Right over here…"

Another minute of walking brought them outside a seedy looking bar. Colt turned to the group, "Welcome to the Roost. Penguin sure do love his birds."

He lead them inside and they were quick to find a table while he approached the bartender. Nobody ordered drinks, content to watch as Colt was approached by a second man and taken through an 'Employee's Only' door.

While they waited, Laura had a chance to take in the scenery. It was a dive bar at it's best, reeking of cheap booze, cigarettes, and sweat. There was a scantily clad female server, aged beyond her years, making rounds. It seemed like the patrons knew better than to fool around with her- they knew who ran the place. Even in a bar as run down as this, the Penguin kept standards. Laura smiled. Logan would like it here.

Before long, Colt reappeared with another man. He was tall, brown haired with dark chocolate eyes. He wore an aged black suit that didn't quite fit right, like it was merely a poor disguise to hide his true nature.

Laura didn't like his smell.

He stared at Laura, "…this is her? Are you joking?"

Colt grinned, "Hey, man, I wouldn't play you that way! She's legit! I swear!"

He paused, considering her for what felt like minutes in silence.

He relented, turning to face Colt with a look of disdain, "Fine. Don't make me regret this, Colt".

"You got nothing to worry about, Tommy. Trust a brotha, would you?" Colt smiled, turning back to Laura, "Hey, girl, be sure you tell 'em who brought you here, alright?"

He winked at her.

Laura stared blankly back at him.

'Tommy' motioned her to follow him, so she did, quietly rising from the rickety wooden chair. She was lead past the 'Employee's Only' door down a long hallway, unfinished hallway. The walls were bare and the floor was only hard concrete, giving the impression that the bar out front was only a façade to the real workings of the building. The Suit stopped by a door at the end of the hall, opening it, and gesturing for her to enter.

"Visitor, Mister Paust."

She turned into the room, met with a bald obese man in a too-tight white suit flanked on either side by large men in suits, obviously bodyguards. He was hunched over a plain wooden covered with paperwork, reading some form. The man caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye and looked up, giving her a view of their icy cold pits.

Paust's voice was as cold as his gaze, "Who the hell is this? Get her out of here, we're looking for bodyguards, not dancers!"

Laura's eyes narrowed at the comment, but she kept her face neutral. She allowed the two guards to approach her. The one on the right reached forward to grab her arm, "Alright, let's go-"

She ducked down, avoiding his arm and sweeping his legs. His partner recoiled in shock, reaching for his gun. Before his hand had even reached the holster she was upon him. She grabbed his wrist and twisted, locking it and giving her control. She spun, flipping him over her back and slamming him onto Tommy. His gun clattered to the floor, giving Laura the opportunity she needed. She rolled with a flourish, kicking the man she tripped in the head as she rose with the pistol, sending him back down the floor with a grunt.

She was on her feet in an instant, pistol trained on Paust, looking down the barrel of the revolver he had aimed at her chest.

She stared him dead in the eye and announced, "I am here for that position."

With that, she lowered the pistol to her side, staring at him blankly.

They were like that for a moment, eyes locked as Paust's guards scrambled to their feet. Before they could fire, his voice rang out, "_Wait!_"

The bodyguards, unsure of themselves, froze. The man started at her for a moment longer before asking, "You're serious, aren't you?"

Laura didn't waver, "Yes."

There was another moment's silence before he responded, "There will be a background check."

"You won't find anything."

Paust didn't waver, "Then how can we trust you?"

Laura remained stoic, "Because if I wanted the Penguin dead, I would find him, I would kill him, and none of you could stop me."

There was something in the way she said it- Paust could tell that she felt every word she said was undeniable fact. From the way she had just performed, he felt inclined to agree.

He glared at her, "His name is Oswald Cobblepot. From this point on, you are to refer to him as _Mister_ Cobblepot or 'sir'."

There was another pause before he lowered his pistol, "You'll be meeting him tomorrow night with the other new bodyguards."

Laura's gaze never wavered, "Will I be paid?"

Paust smiled like the cat that caught the canary, "But of course."

* * *

Colt smiled when he saw Tommy exit the 'Employee's Only' door alone. Colt waited until he approached before speaking, "What'd I tell you? Golden or what?"

Tommy frowned, offering a stack of twenties, "She'll do. Here's your cut."

Colt jumped to his feet, outraged, "Hey, I want summa that action! I brought that girl in!"

Tommy didn't react, save for raising the money higher, "This is all the action you're getting."

Colt snatched the money out of his hand, fuming in important rage, "Fuck you, man! Lets see if I ever do anything for your bitch ass again!"

He turned to his crew, "Fuck this noise. Let's go."

Tommy watched as they stormed out into the night, allowing himself a small smile, "Goodbye, Mister Colt."

* * *

Batman looked out over the Gotham nightscape from his perch above the waterfront district.

He touched his comm., "Oracle. I have a lead on the chemical supplier. We don't have a company name yet- the gang here didn't know much about the drop itself and everything was in unmarked containers. I need everything you know about polytheptane and a man named Layton Timbowski."

Barbara was quick to respond, "_Will do. I had Tim investigate the anomaly. He thinks it came from a girl that appeared near the coordinates- apparently she might be a cyborg or a meta. There are plenty of girls who match the description Tim gave me, but I haven't found anything about a girl with metal claws."_

Batman fired his grapple gun to a nearby building, "I'll get back to the cave and see if I can find something that'll be able to track any residual energy left over from the event. Keep me posted on what you find about Bronski. Batman out."

He fired the gun, swinging into the night.


	3. Deep Infiltration

AN: Sorry for the wait, everybody. I planned on updating this once per month, but things got crazy during my study abroad and now that I'm back I've finally situated enough to sit down and start writing again. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! You're the reason I'm back as early as I am!

Above the Roost

Laura sat alone in the apartment Paust sent her to wait in. It was sparsely furnished, filled with only a rickety wooden chair, bare dresser, and a mattress that sat on a decrepit bed frame. The only window, adorned with pale blinds, watched over Gotham Bay. The Iceberg Casino jutted out from the bay like a monument to the decadence of the city. All things considered, the skyline wasn't very different from New York's. The buildings were different, but they represented the same thing: reckless devotion to industry, to progress. The Baxter building had stood for progress.

She sighed, squeezing her knee in frustration. Waiting never bothered Laura like it did her classmates at the institute, but she even now trepidation was creeping down her spine. It was obvious that the Penguin- _Mister Cobblepot_, she reminded herself- was somehow part of the criminal element in Gotham.

Light footsteps coming down the hall outside her door jerked her out of her thoughts. With trained grace, she noiselessly slipped out of the chair and positioned herself near the door, turning off the lights in her room as she took her position. The scent came next – the smell of whiskey, cigarettes, and familiar cheap cologne, mixed with sweat and quiet resignation. Tommy. She wrinkled her nose. Paust had seen what she was capable of. Probability dictated that a man in his position understood that sending Tommy alone would be suicidal.

She hesitated when his footfalls stopped outside her door- she was being far to trusting. Admonishing herself for her lapse in judgment, she slipped into the shadows behind the door. She couldn't leave anything to chance. Not now, at least.

There was a knock at the door.

Laura waited.

There was a second series of knocks, louder than the first.

Laura still waited.

She heard him sigh behind the door before raising his voice; "I've got clothes for you!"

She blinked. After a beat she slid from her position, opening the door. Tommy was still in 'uniform', one arm half extended to the doorknob. He paused awkwardly, and Laura's eyes drifted to the transparent plastic packet under his arm. He pulled back and presented her with the package. Laura could see what appeared to be a suit, clean and pressed within the package.

She reached down and took it from Tommy's outstretched hand, "Thank you."

Tommy opened his mouth to reply but was barely able to make a sound before Laura turned and closed the door in his face.

Laura flipped the light switch back on as she turned away from the door, the finality of the slam rattling its hinges and sending an obvious message to Tommy: Leave Now.

She paused, head tilted, waiting for a sign that Tommy had gone his own way. It wasn't a moment later that she heard his footsteps retreating down the hallway towards the stairwell. Not giving him a second thought, she tore open the side of the plastic bag and emptied its contents onto the bed. A white button down collared shirt, black slacks, black tie, a black suit coat, a black leather belt, socks, and a pair of black dress shoes scattered from the bag. Laura eyed the crisp ensemble critically, nearly missing the white card tied to one of the shoe's laces. She plucked it from the shoe and lifted it to the light:

_Laura_

_This is your uniform. It is not to be modified in any way. Be ready in five minutes._

Laura dropped the card.

Two minutes later she examined her appearance in the mirror. The suit was sharp, jet black the entire way through, and not inexpensive. The shoes were definitely leather and the suit fit so well that it looked tailored for her. Laura was slowly but steadily forming an idea of Mr. Cobblepot in her mind- his tastes, at least. He kept his hands away from the dirty work and had an eye for class. The _Kingpin_ had an eye for class.

Laura shook her head, banishing the memories.

There was a knock at the door.

She turned to answer it, but before he foot had even hit the ground it swung inwards, revealing Tommy, who looked sharper than usual. He rubbed his nose with the back of his hand, shattering the illusion of decency. With the way it twisted, it was apparent that Tommy was no stranger to the bar room brawl.

He tossed a pair of car keys up into the air before snatching them at their apex, "Show time."

Laura nodded and followed as Tommy turned away from the door.

* * *

The drive to Mr. Cobblepot's 'lair' was an uneventful one. The city lights blurred together in the distance as the sedan Laura was seated in cruised down the seldom-used bayside avenue. Tommy was her only company besides the driver, who maintained a polite silence throughout the ride. Tommy, however, was not so polite.

He slumped against the car door, openly staring at her with knowing eyes. He wasn't a particularly intelligent man- his time working for the Gotham underworld supplemented that. He'd seen his fair share of killers, sane and not. He'd been a bodyguard during a meeting between the Penguin and Two-Face, saw what he'd later learned was an assassination by Deadshot, and if you asked him, he'd tell you that he saw the Joker face to face.

Tommy knew killers, and he wasn't sure if he was sharing the car with one. It was the way she held herself- ready to uncoil and strike like a viper at all times. She made him uncomfortable, though. The way her eyes shifted, her seemingly unlimited patience- not to mention her skill that he was able to experience first hand- all of it indicated that there was something off about the girl.

'_Off limits'_, he decided, the beating he had received from her still fresh in his mind.

He sighed, shifting to sit up in a more professional manner. He wasn't a very disciplined man, but Cobblepot had standards, after all. It paid very well to live up to them and those who didn't weren't ever seen at the casino again.

He coughed lightly, covering his mouth.

Some habits were worth keeping, in the long run.

After a short time, the car rolled to a stop in a parking garage deep in the financial sector of the city, just a short ways away from the mayor's office. Laura frowned as they entered the shadowy structure, dimly illuminated with yellow lights. Still, she remained calm- more likely than not, this was a drop-off point where they would switch cars. However, there was still that chance…

Tommy exited with a twist of his head, "Let's go. We're moving."

Laura nodded.

Beneath Wayne Manor

Bruce Wayne's eyes narrowed in concentration as he struggled to calibrate the handheld molecular ionizer, pulled from the Justice League's closet, to the wavelength of the strange energy signal that appeared alongside the clawed girl. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Another day without rest? Is it Halloween already, Master Bruce?"

Bruce looked over his shoulder, spying his butler, long time friend, and surrogate father coming down the stairs from the manor proper, holding a sterling silver tray. Steam rose from the mug and kettle perched upon it.

Alfred continued voicing his thoughts, "It isn't very often that you have to juggle so many different cases. I brought you something to keep you awake. Can't be out fighting crime while half asleep, can we?"

Bruce turned back to his work, "There is an interdimensional traveler maiming muggers and a nameless chemical manufacturer singlehandedly supplying the entire Gotham underbelly with their chemical needs."

Alfred's eyebrows rose, "Indeed, sir? It seems you have your work cut out for you."

Bruce pulled down his cowl as he finished his calibrations on the ionizer, "I'll manage. Get me Nightwing on the communicator."

"He's still in Bludhaven, sir."

"Damien then."

"With Timothy and his Titan friends, I'm afraid, sir."

Bruce bit back a sigh, "Cassandra, then."

Alfred smiled and set down the tea for his employer, "Very good, sir."

After a moment at the supercomputer's keyboard, Alfred turned back to Bruce, who was sipping at the mug, "Ready for you, sir."

Bruce replaced the mug on the tray and stalked over to the keyboard, pressing the 'Enter' key, "Batgirl, do you read me?"

"_Yes_", a disembodied voice replied enigmatically.

Unfazed, Bruce continued, "I'll meet you at the clock tower in twenty. I'm tracking down Tim's interdimensional acquaintance and I want you there."

"_I will be there._"

"Good. Batman out", Bruce finished, terminating the call.

Gotham Proper

Laura's eyes bounced around, taking in every detail, as she was lead down to the sub-levels of the parking structure her car had stopped in. The stairwell she was being lead down was totally unmarked wave for an 'Employees Only' sign marking the door. Even its entrance was hidden in a gated area for private parking. That section of the parking structure had been blocked off with chain linked fence with private security, the cars and guards there undoubted owned and employed by Cobblepot. She resisted the urge to ask Tommy where she was being lead- she'd know soon enough.

Her entourage consisted of five people total: Tommy and four similarly dressed men with the same demeanor- brutish yet calm. Laura didn't need her training to see that none of the men had grown up wearing their suits. They were nothing more than disguises for their true natures.

The group travelled in silence, their footsteps echoing up and down the stairwell. Eventually the stairs leveled out to reveal a thick, black, iron door. It would look innocent enough, if not for the two men standing directly in front of it with sub machine guns. They stepped aside and opened the door, revealing a bare but well lit tunnel, fifteen feet wide and just as tall. The only remarkable features were a single jeep sitting in the middle of the tunnel and a set of cables running up to a phone on this end and again up to the surface.

Tommy gestured for her to enter the car. She paused for a moment, taking everything in one more time before entering the vehicle.

Oracle's Clocktower

Bruce crouched on one of the many gargoyles crowning Barbara's clock tower, gazing out at the massive cityscape that dotted the landscape. At this altitude it looked beautiful- you couldn't see the city for what it really was. How corrupt and diseased it was. Bruce knew what it was though. He knew it was nothing more than the home and hunting ground of the enemy.

He looked up, a flicker of motion catching his eye.

Cassandra sat on the gargoyle next to him, mimicking his stance. She seemed to fit in among the hideous stone creatures. Her mask was just as menacing in its simplicity as any of the gargoyles' twisted faces.

Bruce showed her the sensor, "The target is on the move, but we're tracking her with this. She's armed and dangerous. We're bringing her in."

Cassandra was silent for a moment, "Has she killed anyone?"

Bruce shook his head, "No as of yet, but she came close. We're going to keep it that way."

Cassandra nodded in understanding.

Bruce looked down at the device he had taken from the Justice League, a small light flashing on the sensor, "She's moving. Lets go."

He didn't hesitate when he leaped off the building, gliding into the night. His partner didn't hesitate to follow.

Somewhere in Gotham

Laura remained stoic as the car came to a halt at a larger iron door than before, just as featureless. A guard standing by the door muttered to himself as he moved to open it, keying the code into an electronic lock. Laura doubted they expected her to be able to see which buttons he pressed from thirty feet away. She almost smiled, tucking the information away.

Tommy broke the silence and opened the door, "This is as far as I go. Good luck, I guess."

He quietly moved to the drivers seat and pulled away back down the tunnel, giving Laura only a second glance from the rearview mirror as he pulled away. For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to be missing out on something big.

* * *

As the doors opened, Laura stared inside. Apparently this whole complex was guarding an underground warehouse, stocked with a variety of goods- some of suspect legality. It was at least forty meters long and almost as wide, workers milling about around a lift that lead to the surface.

One of her escorts nudged her, "Hey, keep movin'. It's time for yer arientayshun."

Unfazed by the mans butchery of the English language she began to walk, still glancing around at everything and making notes of exits, key vantage points, and ambush points. She was led to what appeared to be a side office filled with people dressed like herself and the rest of the guards. A different one of her escorts opened the door and ushered her inside. When she was through the door it shut behind her, no sign her escorts were ever with her- except to her, of course.

The room was filled with Laura assumed were other recruits. Everyone there was build like Tommy and looked just as mean. The one with the black crew cut spoke up from behind his desk with the demeanor of a drill seargent, "Do you expect me ta fuckin' believe that our last recruit is a teenage girl?!"

He stood up, behind is desk, "When I find the joker who pulled this shit, they'll never find his body!"

He gestured to the recruit nearest to Laura, a tall man with corn rows, "You! Get her out of here! I'll figure out to do with her later."

Laura made no attempt to stop Corn Rows, "I was invited here to be a guard. You're making a mistake."

He sneered, "My mistake is not putting you under my desk instead. Now get the fuck outta here."

Corn Rows' hand had barely closed around her arm when she moved into action. She spun, locking Corn Rows' arm before slamming him into the ground and jamming her heel into his neck.

The room took a collective step back, but Crew Cut remained calm, "Congrats. You can hold your own. Now get the fuck out."

Laura hesitated, puzzled. She hadn't expected or planned for this eventuality at all. She assumed that a display of skill would be sufficient to placate the man like it did Paust.

"Why do I need to leave?" she questioned, doing her best to keep her voice level. She had a lot riding on this plan and wasn't about to let it fall to pieces now.

"Because", Crew Cut growled out, "I need my men focused, not staring at your ass all day."

Laura paused, caught off guard by his reasoning.

It made sense, after all. She'd be the only woman employed as a guard by Cobblepott and the guards probably weren't progressive thinkers. Even so, the rejection smoldered in her gut.

She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by a man throwing the door open and stumbling into the room, "Boss! H-He's here!"

Crew Cut jumped to his feet, sending his chair clattering to the floor, "Who?! Talk, you idiot!"

The man looked up, pale faced, "It's the Bat!"


	4. The Hunt

AN: Thank you all for the reviews! I hereby present the long awaited chapter four of Damaged Goods!

Marvel Earth – Somewhere in Canada

Logan, known to some as Logan and to many more as Wolverine, sighed, his short stature accentuated by how he slumped over on the bar. His grip on the mostly finished bottle of whisky tightened as he brought it to his lips, finishing the bitter liquid.

He set it down next to the nine others he'd finished that same afternoon.

The bartender, a heavyset, older man with graying hair and a large moustache eyed him warily as he wiped down the other end of the bar, "You ain't normal, are ya?"

Nobody else was in the bar- there was only one person he could be talking to.

Logan glanced over at the man from under the brim of his hat. It wouldn't be the first time someone tried to throw him out of a bar for being a mutant. And personally, he wasn't in the mood for it right now. Not after what Annihilus did... after what happened to Laura.

"And what if I'm not?"

The man put down his rag and walked across the bar from Logan, picking up the empty bottles, "Ain't no trouble o' mine, mister. But you seem like a man with a problem. Most folks won't buy ten bottles of gin, mutie or not."

His eyes widened as he realized his social faux pas. He backed up a step, putting down the bottle and raising his hands defensively, "N-no offense meant, of course. I'm just sayin' that you seem like a fella with a problem."

Logan steeled his gaze, "Ain't got no problem."

The bartender lowered his arms, "Fella, you just bought eleven bottles of gin. Ain't nobody without a problem does that."

Logan sneered and grabbed the bottle that the man had set down on the counter, "Like you said, I'm a mutie. Takes more for me."

Before he could bring the bottle to his lips the man's hand snaked out and grabbed the top, pulling it away from Logan, "Fella, ain't nobody tries to get drunk at three in the afternoon without a problem."

Logan glared at the man, "Bub, what do you care if I have a problem?"

The bartender stood his ground, "Because somebody should. And in all honesty, I ain't got much else to do."

Logan let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, "Keep the change bub."

He dropped a small pile of twenty-dollar bills on the table, "You got a good place here."

The seductive feminine voice that answered wasn't what he expected.

"_We've been looking for you, Logan."_

Logan sighed, turning around to see Emma Frost, Dean of the Xavier Institute, X-Men member, and seductress sitting at the bar where he had, clad in fur lined white attire that looked like it should be worn in an S and M club than a school.

He scowled, "Get the hell outta my head, Frost."

She frowned, "_He's right, you know. You're hurting."_

He turned back towards the door, set on ignoring the psychic projection, "Fuck off, Frost."

"_It's not your fault- what happened to Laura."_

Logan whirled at the mention of his surrogate daughter's name, fury burning in his eyes, "And what the hell do you care, Frost?! You hated her from the moment you saw her! You tried to have her thrown to the wolves at the Facility! Don't pretend you give a _damn_ about what happened to her!"

The projection remained calm, "_I was wrong, Logan. I saw that a long time ago._"

Logan scoffed turning away from the apparition, "You're full of shit, darlin'. Now stay out of my head."

Emma frowned at him, before disappearing.

Logan blinked and found himself standing at the door, just like he had been before the psychic's voice had appeared in his mind. The bartender piped up, a concerned look on his face, "Are you feelin' alright, buddy? You've just been standin'."

Logan shook his head, "Yeah, I'm fine. See you around."

He opened the door and stepped out of the bar, letting the door swing shut behind him. He didn't look back.

Xavier Institute – Cerebro

Emma sighed as she removed the silver helmet connected to the enormous mutant database called Cerebro, "He'll be back when he's ready."

She ran her hand through her hair as she turned around to face Scott and Ororo, "I'm sorry."

The ebony weather witch sighed, "He will have to come to terms with what happened to her."

The leader of the X-Men looked over to her, stone faced, "He can't. He blames himself for it- but I think that's jus a symptom of it. He was never there for her- not really, at least. He knows it and it is killing him."

Ororo frowned, "I will find him. He deserves better than this."

Scott's voice was authoritative, "…take as much time as you need. These are tough times for all of us."

She nodded, "He is not as indestructible as he seems. I will return with him as soon as I am able."

Gotham City – The Penguin's Hideout

Laura raised an eyebrow at the mixed reaction in the room at the announcement of the arrival of this… Batman.

Some men had leaped out of their chairs, bolting through the open door. Others looked to each other, unsure of what to do, while even more of the men did nothing more than raise a general panic, claiming that this wasn't what they signed up for. The leader tried to quell the panic, barking orders to those who would listen. He had almost regained some semblance of order before there was an explosion echoed through the structure. The lights flickered once, then died, plunging everything into darkness.

There was chaos in the ranks as the red emergency lights came on, barely illuminating a third of the building, leaving some areas still enveloped in utter blackness. What little was illuminated was crisscrossed with shadows. Bursts of gunfire could be heard among the panic, all quickly silenced. The leader was screaming orders at this point, his voice lost in the cacophony.

Laura saw opportunity in the chaos.

She moved like quicksilver, maneuvering through light and darkness alike with inhuman grace. She slipped through the panicking guards, weaving through the rows of crates towards the main office. This was her chance- Cobblepot was vulnerable. She vaulted a row of short crates and onto the stairs up to the office, maneuvering onto the steps with the grace of a born predator. She turned sneering when she heard clomping footsteps behind her- footsteps that would only lead this bat-thing right towards her. She turned, her legs coiling, readying herself to incapacitate the

She tensed as a panicked guard turned the corner at full sprint, firing up at the air behind him. Laura frowned, opting to slip into the shadows near the stairs and watch. The man moved like prey with a predator on its heels.

Surely enough, the predator arrived.

Like living darkness given a human form, _something_ launched down from the crates above, colliding into the man with incredible force- force enough to take him off his feet and send him straight into one of the large crates next to him. Before he even had time to hit the ground the thing was upon him again, driving him straight through the side of the wooden crate and vanishing with its prey into the darkness.

Laura paused. The gunfire was quieting fast. Too fast. She needed to reach Cobblepott as soon as she could. She burst from her hiding spot, scrambling up the stairs and bursting through the wooden office door.

She swore.

The office was totally empty, save for a few filing cabinets and a large desk with a chair that could be better described as a throne. Besides that, there was nothing. Cobblepott was most likely never even in the building to begin with. She turned when she heard more footsteps clambering up the ladder behind her- panicked, disorderly.

Something smelled off. The scent was musty, like something dank and underground. Out of place in the warehouse.

Laura turned to the door, watching as two more guards clambered up the steps, desperate to hide from the force that was assaulting the Penguin's base. She coiled; ready to do whatever was necessary to remove the threat when a slimmer shadow burst from the darkness under the grating on the stairs, pulling both men screaming down into the darkness.

A chill crawled up Laura's spine. Whatever had burst from the stairs was there _before_ the men had arrived. It was waiting for _her._

She burst from the office, ignoring stealth. Escape was the top priority now- there was nothing more to be gained from staying here.

Laura hurtled over the side of the stairs, rolling as she landed on the stacked crates just over the side. She followed through the roll into a sprint, not wasting a single moment. The elevator shaft was in view and still operational- thankfully, emergency power kept it running.

The scent was back.

She snarled as she neared the entrance to the elevator, only a few trace shots of weapons discharge echoing through the background- she was one of the only ones left. She threw herself off the line of crates, rolling into the elevator and slamming onto the up button as she hit the ground. She spun, ready to defend herself as the doors groaned, shutting behind her. The slim dark figure landed in front of the doors, barely visible in the darkness.

Laura scowled, unsheathing her claws and slicing a hole in the ceiling with a single graceful leaping spin. She pulled herself through the hole even as the elevator began to rise. The moment she was out she cut the cable holding the car up, sending it crashing back down to the grown while rocketing Laura up through the air.

She let go as she neared the top, the momentum allowing her to grab onto the grating of the elevator door on street level. With a quick slash of her claws, she was free.

The scent, she noted, was back. So was a different one. Explosi-

Fire burst from the top of the elevator shaft, blowing out the door she had cut through and sending her tumbling across the room.

She scrambled to her feet, her healing factor already closing the light wounds caused by the shrapnel. The larger figure was there, crouched on the edge of the elevator shaft like a creature that had crawled out of the abyss.

She could smell his sweat. Hear his breathing.

He was a man.

She could fight a man.

Laura surged forward at the shadow before her, her battle cry ripping through the air like a cougar's roar. Her claws burst from her knuckles in mid leap with an audible *snikt* as she soared through the air.

The shadow didn't hesitate, side-stepping her leaping slash and lashing out with what was meant to be a disabling strike, aimed at a pressure point on her upper left arm. Apparently the martial arts weren't so different between worlds.

Laura spun, the strike glanced across he arm harmlessly as she used her momentum to slash at her assailant with her adamantium claws. The shadow's arm lashed out, striking her wrist to keep her blades from falling. He followed up the parry with a kick, his leg lashing out and connecting solidly with the shorter girl's sternum. She rolled backwards with the kick, back on her feet without a moment's hesitation and charging her mysterious opponent again.

The shadow hesitated; unsure of how to assess the situation after the girl seemed unaffected by what was supposed to be a crippling blow. Laura seized her opportunity, diving in again and lashing out with her claws.

The figure recovered quickly, parrying her strike again and following up frightening speed. He stepped inside her guard and knocked both her arms wide with a both hands, leaving her exposed. In a quick motion he struck her jaw with a spinning elbow and followed up with a left hook at the same spot, sending her crashing to the ground, blood arcing from her mouth.

Another opportunity.

She caught her fall with both hands and pushed, propelling herself off the ground. Using her momentum she spun in mid air, extending her right foot blade. As she turned in the air she kicked out, the blade ripping through whatever armor the shadow war and digging deep into flesh.

The shadow cried out, falling back has dark crimson sprayed through the air.

Breathing heavily, Laura watched as he lay on the ground, doing his best to rise to his feet to defend himself.

Her training demanded she finish the job- remove all witnesses.

She shook her head. She wasn't that person anymore.

Laura turned on her heel and took off at a dead sprint, barely slowing to extend her claws to slash open the side door of the warehouse. She dipped her shoulder and burst out into the night, the streetlights doing little to illuminate the long alley she found herself in. She had barely made it twenty feet before she heard the ruined door burst open a second time.

She spun, preparing to defend herself from the second shadow, no doubt still on the chase.

Her eyes widened.

The scent was there, but the alley was empty.

Laura waited, staring into the darkness past the ruined door. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end- something wasn't right.

She turned to run, a dark fist connecting smashing into the side of her face like a sledgehammer. She tumbled back, putting her hand out to steady herself on the wall. Before she could even rise up the slim shadow was before her, a lithe leg snapping out and connecting with the side of her head, sending her face first into the brick alley wall.

Laura surged to her feet, lashing out wildly with her left claw. The shadow stepped inside her guard a second time, a trio of blows ripping into her arm before the figure sent her sprawling with an open palm strike.

The young mutant struggled to her feet, her left arm limp against her side.

The shadow stared down at her like a wraith or some shadowy creature of myth, all but obscured in the darkness save the yellow bat symbol emblazoned on her chest.

"Give up."

The shadow's voice was softer than Laura expected. She glanced past the girl, further down the alley. The entrance was almost another thirty meters away. She didn't dare turn her back on her opponent- and she knew there was nowhere to go behind her.

She could only stand and fight.

With another battle cry she surged forward, slashing wildly with her four remaining claws.

She kicked and slashed at the figure, doing her best to overwhelm the shadow in a flurry of adamantium blades. Despite her best efforts, the figure dipped and dodged, every blade passing within centimeters of the figure. Then, like lightning, the shadow struck.

The figure caught Laura's leg in mid kick, dropping an elbow strike down on the side of the girl's knee. Laura was thrown off balance, and while she was, the shadow stepped inside her guard again. She was a blur, rocking Laura's body with precision strikes with incredible force. Every strike was like being shot with a shotgun.

It was over in less than a second.

Laura slumped against the wall, blood trickling down from her nose and the corner of her mouth. Her arms and legs were black and blue, rendered temporarily useless from precision nerve strikes. She rolled her head to the side, barely able to make out the lithe form of her attacker through her blurred vision.

She stood over the bloodied girl, motionless. Even the rise and fall of her chest with her breathing was imperceptible.

"I'm sorry."

Laura did her best to rise up one last time, but all she could do was let out a hiss of breath as her healing factor did its best to repair the damage she had sustained.

The figure crouched down before her and placed her hand on Laura's shoulder. Laura shuddered under the touch, but was otherwise unable to act.

The last thing Laura saw before darkness took her was the dark cowl her assailant wore, emotionless and cold.


	5. Strange New People in Strange New Places

AN: Sorry for the wait everyone. As my penance I'm promising you all TWO CHAPTERS THIS MONTH!

Somewhere, Sometime

Laura's vision was blurred as she first awoke, like slipping out of a deeps haze. New sounds and smells assaulted her senses as she tried to orient herself. Her memory failed hr, unable to recall events of the past few days- she knew she was supposed to be babysitting the Richards' children, but beyond that, there was nothing.

She tried to sit up, but found herself unable to. She tried again, finding tangible resistance on her arms and legs. Groggily, she looked down to examine them. Her eyes widened when she saw them, bound in some sort of blue energy. Realization struck her like a lightning bolt- the battle with Annihilus, the meeting with the Penguin's goons, and the humiliating defeat at the hands of the woman in black. Now she awoke in a cold, sterile lab, bound and helpless in a white hospital gown. The walls and everything in the room was white. The room was filled with a variety of medical equipment and technology only matched by what she had seen in the Fantastic Four's Baxter Building. She floated above a cushioned w platform, suspended in the air by some sort of energy field.

Laura surged to life, ignoring her training, doing her best to free herself from her bonds. Terror and determination fueled her- she would never be held in a lab and treated like an animal- never again.

She twisted her right wrist, small bones in her hand breaking as she pulled with all her might. Slowly but surely, her hand began to slip through the hole in the energy field. She grit her teeth, nearly gasping as she pulled her crushed hand free of the first bond. Blood pounded in her ears but she did her best to ignore it. She needed to act quickly- she was undoubtedly being monitored. It was only a time before her captors realized she was escaping.

JLA Conference Room, The Watchtower

Cassandra Cain, Batgirl, felt very out of place in the Watchtower. She had never been invited in before, but her experience with the interdimensional arrival had made her the girl's resident expert. She was, after all, the person who defeated her.

She flanked Batman's seat in the conference room, standing behind him and to the side, like an attendant. Superman had offered her a seat, but she declined. In a way, she didn't feel worthy to be in the room, let alone share a table with people Bruce considered his equals. It was obvious that the room (besides Bruce) was unsettled by her actions, but Bruce had told her to not be intimidated. So she would not sit.

Superman leaned forward in his seat, elbows on the table, "So what do you think that the girl was doing with the Penguin's enforcers? It doesn't make sense."

Bruce looked over his shoulder to her, "Batgirl, you fought with her- saw her move. What do you think?"

Cassandra hesitated before answering, "When I look at her, I am sad."

Wonder Woman raised an eyebrow.

The other members of the League in the room, besides Batman, had similar reactions.

The Martian Manhunter was the first to speak up, "Are you saying she caused an emphatic response in you?"

Cassandra continued, "No. I see her for what she is and it makes me sad. She is afraid."

Superman spoke up again, "Afraid of what?"

She shook her head, "Her past. She is a doll that is trying to be a person. I can see it in the way she moves."

More eyebrows raised, but Bruce took a moment to step in, "Batgirl has a unique ability to 'read' people when she sees them. In some ways, it's superior to telepathy."

Superman nodded in understanding, "Then why do you think she was at the Penguin's hidden warehouse?"

Cassandra's response was flat, "Because her past told her to."

Wonder Woman grit her teeth, growing tired of the cryptic responses, "And what in Hera's name is that supposed to mean?"

She glared at Bruce, "You can decipher this for us, can't you?"

Superman put his hand on her shoulder, "Wonder Woman, please…."

Bruce looked up to Cassandra, "So you're saying her choices were caused by training?"

Cassandra nodded.

The Flash picked up where the girl's logic left off, "Well if you're new in town, have no money, and no idea where you are, I guess you need to find out what's going on somehow."

Superman shook his head, "Then why not just go to a library or something? That has to be easier."

Bruce shook his head, "Not if you're black ops trained. I know a few programs that train their agents to join up with local criminal activity if caught in unknown territory. It's easy to stay out off the grid that way."

John Stewart, one of Earth's Green Lanterns, stood up at the comment, "Then we need to-!"

The Martian Manhunter rose to his feet, cutting John off, "Gentlemen, ladies, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have a problem."

The Martian rose to his feet and activated the conference room's monitor. After a few button presses Laura appeared on the screen, halfway through her escape from her restraints. She had apparently just finished resetting the dislocated bones in her fingers with her mouth and was raising her claws, aimed right at her ankle below the restraint.

"Good God, what's she doing?!", exclaimed the Green Lantern, "She'll die if she cuts her foot off! She doesn't have anything to stop the bleeding!"

"Her training", Cassandra coolly responded, "It is all she knows."

Superman was off like a shot from a cannon, the air sucked out of the conference room in the wake of his flight.

He reappeared a split second later on the monitor, the door to the medical wing exploding inward as he slipped his hand under the falling blade, blocking the slash.

Medical Bay, The Watchtower

Laura reeled as the door to the medical bay exploded, barely registering the giant figure that had blocked her slash. She recovered quickly though, leaning forward and slashing at the man's neck. With inhuman speed the man caught her blades in mid swing, the edges not even digging into his flesh. She hesitated a moment, caught off guard by the fact that her blades were being so blocked. She tried to pull back again but the man gripped one blade on each hand, refusing to relinquish them.

He tried to placate her as she struggled, "Calm down! Nobody here wants to hurt you! You're safe here!"

Laura slowly calmed, seeing that it was pointless to resist the man's grip on her adamantium claws. She still fought for breath though, adrenaline blasting through her veins.

The man seemed to understand that she had calmed down, "My name is Superman. I'm a member of the Justice League. You're safe here."

She nodded and he slowly released her claws, "I'm sorry about the restraints, but we weren't sure what to make of you when you arrived. Can you tell me what your name is? Where you're from?"

Laura hesitated- training dictated she didn't answer his questions. She couldn't trust a thing about him- his name, what he said this organization was- she'd seen far more elaborate ruses than this in her time with the X-Men.

She stared at him, unwilling to reveal anything about herself, "I cannot trust you."

The large man in blue and red sighed, "I suppose you can't. But you understand that we can't exactly trust you either. You maimed a man before joining up with a known gangster. That… and we know that you're new in town."

Laura didn't let her face betray her apprehension at how well informed the man before her appeared to be. She also didn't let it betray that she heard and smelt his companions gathering outside of the door, including two very musky and familiar scents.

He continued, "We don't have to keep you restrained, but I hope you can see why we want to keep you under watch. If we don't restrain you, can you agree to not try to hurt yourself again?"

"Yes."

He smiled, standing up to his full, imposing height, "Good."

She looked up at him, "I would like a different room. Not a lab."

He nodded, smilingly warmly "I'm sure something can be arranged."

Watchtower Corridor, Outside the Medbay

Princess Diana, also known as Wonder Woman, smirked, "He always did have a way with kids."

Bruce frowned, "We don't even have a name."

Jonn, the Manhunter, glanced at him from the corner of his eye. He reached out with his mind, connecting it with Batman's, "_Her name is Laura Kinney. She was born and raised in a place called the Facility."_

Bruce looked over, "_Is she dangerous?"_

Jonn, glanced back, "_Very, but not to us, I think. Her mental barriers were difficult to bypass without detection. Normally I would not be so invasive, but I think that given her willingness to gravely injure herself to escape…"_

Bruce mentally cut him off, "_I know she's dangerous. I have forty four stitches across my chest."_

Jonn continued, "_She is what she was created to be. However, she tries to funnel her skills towards… constructive ends. She kills the people she's told deserve it. Arguably, everyone she kills does. Terrorists, militant religious extremists, organizations who kidnap and experiment on children… Her father figure may have not been the best influence on her."_

Bruce eyed him, "_An assassin?"_

"_Unwilling genetic donor. He made a halfhearted attempt to raise her after he found out she existed- but by then she had already spent the first fifteen years of her life being tortured into becoming the pet killer of an organization called 'The Facility'. What she is doing now is all that she knows."_

Bruce looked over at Jonn, "_I'm surprised you were able to learn all of this so quickly."_

Jonn met his gaze, "_Time has little meaning inside a person's mind, Batman."_

Bruce was about to reply when Clark Kent, better known to the world as Superman, walked out of the ruined medical ward, "She's calmed down, now. I don't think we have anything to worry about."

Aquaman, King of Atlantis, who had remained quiet, turned away, "Then my business here is concluded. I have duties to attend to elsewhere."

Barry Allen, The Flash, put his thumb in the air and gestured over his shoulder, "Yeah, I should head back to Central City then. The Rogues are acting up."

Bruce looked over to Cassandra, "Lets go."

She turned away, looking past Superman into the room where Laura sat, "I would like to stay."

Bruce raised an eyebrow.

She looked back to him, "I feel a… connection to her. I wish to speak to her."

Bruce hesitated. Normally, she wouldn't even be on the Watchtower. Still, it was rare that she expressed desires of her own. After all, would it be so wrong to reward her for how she handled the night before? He glanced down at the spot where Laura had slashed him- he could still feel the burn across his chest despite the painkillers. Had it not been for the Watchtower's medical technology he'd be bed bound for weeks, if not longer.

He nodded and turned, walking to the Watchtower's teleportation pad, "Fine. I want you watching her. Let me know what you find out."

Cassandra smiled underneath her mask, noticeable only to Bruce, who could hear it in her voice, "Thank you."

He paused, turning back for a moment, "Don't stay too long. Something big is brewing in Gotham and I'm not sure what yet. I'll stay in touch."

She watched his retreating form until he turned the corner. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she turned to face the Martian Manhunter, "I shall provide a room for you during your stay. Superman will be escorting our other guest to a more comfortable holding cell. Follow me, please."

She fell in step behind him, taking a moment to glance back into the room.

The Medbay, The Watchtower

Laura looked out past the door, listening intently to the conversation outside. All indications pointed towards this being a legitimate crime fighting organization, like the Avengers or the Thunderbolts. That being said, she'd much rather be in the company of the Avengers than a group of supposedly reformed criminals.

She held back a sigh.

Gambit would know what to do in this situation.

Her training hadn't prepared her for something like this.


End file.
